In 2005, it was estimated that about 75 percent of processed foods in the United States contained at least one genetically modified ingredient. As of 2012, the United States Department of Agriculture reports that 94 percent of cotton, 93 percent of soybeans and 88 percent of corn produced in the United States are genetically modified.
Genetically modified organisms are created through gene splicing biotechnologies: scientists take DNA from one species and inject it into another to make breeds of plants, animals, bacteria and viruses that do not exist naturally. This is frequently seen in animal products like salmon or chicken, to allowing them to grow larger, faster.
Studies evaluating the effects of GMOs on humans are limited, and no long-term effects are known, making Americans one big lab experiment. Many studies have, however, been performed on animals, finding a host of effects. According to the American Academy of Environmental Medicine, these effects include, but are not limited to immune dysregulation, accelerated aging, infertility, dysregulation of genes associated with cellular metabolism and altered function of the internal organs.
There are 64 countries in which GMOs are regulated or banned. But the United States have little regulation of GMOs, because the Food and Drug Administration and USDA argue GMOs are “the same as, or substantially equivalent to, substances commonly found in food.”
Nov. 5, Washington state voted down a ballot provision, that, if passed, would have required companies to put a label on the front of any product with genetically modified components notifying consumers of the existence of a GMO.
Opposition to the bill came largely in part from the largest GMO-producing company in the U.S. — Monsanto. When asked why the company opposed labeling of GMO products, Norman Braksick, the president of Monsanto subsidiary Asgrow Seed said, “If you put a label on genetically engineered food, you might as well put a skull and crossbones on it.”
Thanksgiving is a time of joy and a time spent with loved ones — but arguably it is best known as a time for oodles of food. For anyone concerned about GMOs come turkey day, there are easy ways to avoid consuming science experiments fresh from the lab.
Alternatives for the GMO ingredients used to make stuffing, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie can be easily procured, as well as non-genetically modified turkeys. For more information or delicious non-GMO Thanksgiving recipes, visit the “Non-GMO Project” website infographic on Thanksgiving.
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